At the exhibition Passage: The Art of Atong Atem, opening on Friday at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, the artist explained she simply removes her glasses so she can't see all the various versions of herself staring down from the gallery walls.
"When I'm making the works I am thinking about the outcome. I have a really specific intention. It just doesn't feel like I'm taking a photograph of myself," Atem told AAP.
There are more than 65 artworks on display, in which Atem takes many forms through the striking use of body paint, beading and costume, and vibrant textiles.
They include a veiled bride, a swaggering male politician, and even a green alien saint holding a lapdog. In an age of selfies and self-obsession, these portraits are looking out to the entire cosmos.
"Atong Atem is one of the most exciting artists of her generation, redefining what it means to be Australian in contemporary life and culture ... she has crafted a style and perspective that are uniquely her own, earning her recognition worldwide," said NGV director Tony Ellwood.
Born in Ethiopia, the Melbourne-based South Sudanese artist uses photography to explore links to family, noting snapshots are sometimes the only way of knowing relatives she can never meet.
South Sudan has experienced decades of war and instability, becoming independent from Sudan in 2011. Despite a 2018 peace deal, the world's newest nation remains in a cycle of conflict that has displaced millions of people.
Atem's family moved to Australia in 1997. A large-scale wall installation commissioned by the NGV titled As Above shows traditional Dinka Bor dance and beading.
These are rituals carried out in the face of a traumatic history, the artist explained.
"The story of my family and my culture is so heavily embedded with harm and trauma and destruction and so many awful things," she said.Â
"But we sing songs that tell the story of war. There are dances that tell the story of loss. The way we respond to trauma is to grieve and to acknowledge and to make amends."
Atem also looks at a rich tradition of African studio photography, which has evolved from a tool of colonial representation to become a popular and powerful means of self expression.
Passage: The Art of Atong Atem is at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia in Melbourne until June 14, 2027.
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